In a major crackdown against international smuggling, police stationed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata seized approximately 900 grams of smuggled gold on Monday. Acting on prior intelligence received from confidential sources, law enforcement officers kept a close vigil on two passengers arriving on a Kolkata-bound flight from Bangkok. Following initial suspicion and detailed interrogation, the duo confessed to concealing high-purity gold bars.
Officers from the NSCBI Airport police station immediately placed the two passengers under arrest and seized the contraband. Preliminary assessments reveal that the recovered metal is 24-carat gold with an estimated market value of nearly ₹1.35 crore. Authorities suspect that an organized inter-state smuggling syndicate is operating behind the racket, using international air routes to traffic high-value commodities into the city.
This incident marks the second major gold and jewelry bust at the Kolkata airport within less than two weeks. Earlier on August 6, security personnel recovered gold, silver, rubies, and emeralds worth over ₹1 crore from a domestic cargo consignment, leading to the arrest of a suspect from Rajasthan. Police have launched an extensive investigation to trace the origin, destination, and key operatives linked to the newly intercepted gold consignment.